Nuklear Age, the absolute best book I never want to read again

Willowhugger · 06-16-2005, 10:44 PM

Brian, I'll come out and say it that you're a great writer. I never really expected this. I know you're a great comic strip author but I never expected you were actually GOOD (and I'm honestly surprised that Nuklear Age is Douglas Adam's quality and goes one step BEYOND by making the book one of the most poignant I've read).

However, I'm glad you inserted the apology.

(The below may or may not contain spoilers)

I don't think I'll want to read the sequel probably (oh who am I kidding, I'll read it out of the vague hope that Menace and Atomic Lad do the horizontal mambo). The reason is that the ending also was a sucker punch.

Nuklear Age has the benefit of being a story where you come to care about the big idiot and the characters because their lovable oafs. Then Doctor Genius, set up as the sexy but clueless dogooder effectively mindrapes and murders a little girl whose done nothing on camera but you come to know in the short description because its dealing with archetypes.

Its escapism turned violently into a box you can't escape because you need to know how it turns out. Characters you come to know as friends as much as you can fictional characters (at 500+ pages you get to know them very well) are tortured and murdered before the world is burned to a near cinder.

Like in the real world. The heroes don't do enough and the good die along with the villains. The character that evoked the most hate in Doctor Genius (she should KNOW better after all) gets off more or less scott free while its set up Atomic Lad will be alone for the rest of his life.

I'm sure it was your intent but it was a moving ending but one I don't know if I want to revisit since it killed a great number of people to tell an epic that ends on a tragic note.

It's probably betraying the spirit but I hope the sequel is more uplifting. Otherwise I feel like the book's theme was

"Fans, F*** you. It's not a insult to you. You'll thank me for the f*** because its good storytelling but nevertheless it was a f***."

Hope you don't mind me saying so. This is meant as a compliment, really.

(end spoilers)

AtomiKnight · 06-22-2005, 10:55 PM

Just read the whole trilogy of five parts that is Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. You'll be begging to read Nuklear Age after, and hopefully you're a slothful reader and won't finish all 1500+ pages of all that before Atomik Age comes out, and then you can read that too.

Preston · 07-22-2005, 12:11 AM

It's strange, alot of people complain about his ending, but I didn't actually mind it. In fact I kind of liked it, which is strange because it's not really my kind of ending. I wasn't particularly fond of the apology though...

Fliktor · 07-23-2005, 06:12 AM

I thought the apology was kind of funny when I saw it in the chapters.

SPOILERS
I remember the moment when Rachel started to die in the mall, and thought, hang on, is this meant to be what's happening? But I figured it would all turn out okay.
END SPOILERS

It does set the story up well for Atomik Lad's own story, so I'm all set.

RedScar · 07-25-2005, 11:34 AM

The ending makes a set up for another and gives a realistic ending. Who knew that the book could be like real life and have superheros? Personally I think that the next book will most likely be a bit sad at first but then become happier.

And people use the 111111 not the black. I can read everything you say without high lighting it. If your not sure what I'm tlaking about go read the spolier section in the rules.

06-16-2005, 10:44 PM	#1
Willowhugger I am the Black Mage! Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 114	Nuklear Age, the absolute best book I never want to read again Brian, I'll come out and say it that you're a great writer. I never really expected this. I know you're a great comic strip author but I never expected you were actually GOOD (and I'm honestly surprised that Nuklear Age is Douglas Adam's quality and goes one step BEYOND by making the book one of the most poignant I've read). However, I'm glad you inserted the apology. (The below may or may not contain spoilers) I don't think I'll want to read the sequel probably (oh who am I kidding, I'll read it out of the vague hope that Menace and Atomic Lad do the horizontal mambo). The reason is that the ending also was a sucker punch. Nuklear Age has the benefit of being a story where you come to care about the big idiot and the characters because their lovable oafs. Then Doctor Genius, set up as the sexy but clueless dogooder effectively mindrapes and murders a little girl whose done nothing on camera but you come to know in the short description because its dealing with archetypes. Its escapism turned violently into a box you can't escape because you need to know how it turns out. Characters you come to know as friends as much as you can fictional characters (at 500+ pages you get to know them very well) are tortured and murdered before the world is burned to a near cinder. Like in the real world. The heroes don't do enough and the good die along with the villains. The character that evoked the most hate in Doctor Genius (she should KNOW better after all) gets off more or less scott free while its set up Atomic Lad will be alone for the rest of his life. I'm sure it was your intent but it was a moving ending but one I don't know if I want to revisit since it killed a great number of people to tell an epic that ends on a tragic note. It's probably betraying the spirit but I hope the sequel is more uplifting. Otherwise I feel like the book's theme was "Fans, F* you. It's not a insult to you. You'll thank me for the f* because its good storytelling but nevertheless it was a f**." Hope you don't mind me saying so. This is meant as a compliment, really. (end spoilers) Last edited by Willowhugger; 06-17-2005 at 02:38 AM.*

07-22-2005, 12:11 AM	#3
Preston Hedge Mage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 3	It's strange, alot of people complain about his ending, but I didn't actually mind it. In fact I kind of liked it, which is strange because it's not really my kind of ending. I wasn't particularly fond of the apology though... __________________ sig�na�ture (sgn-chr) n. 1. One's name as written by oneself. 2. The act of signing one's name. 3. A distinctive mark, characteristic, or sound indicating identity

07-23-2005, 06:12 AM	#4
Fliktor Goomba Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 9	I thought the apology was kind of funny when I saw it in the chapters. SPOILERS I remember the moment when Rachel started to die in the mall, and thought, hang on, is this meant to be what's happening? But I figured it would all turn out okay. END SPOILERS It does set the story up well for Atomik Lad's own story, so I'm all set. __________________ [King Fliktor][Axiose, my D�mon] :fighter: You're not you Character Class. You're not how much Gil you have in the Bank. You're not the airship you fly. You're not the contents of your item screen. You're not your fuggin' armor. You are the all-fighting, all-spellcasting heroes of the world.

07-25-2005, 11:34 AM	#5
RedScar Just another NPF ghost Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Califorina, you heard me right. Posts: 694	The ending makes a set up for another and gives a realistic ending. Who knew that the book could be like real life and have superheros? Personally I think that the next book will most likely be a bit sad at first but then become happier. And people use the 111111 not the black. I can read everything you say without high lighting it. If your not sure what I'm tlaking about go read the spolier section in the rules. __________________ I'm officaly saying it now. Due to me becomeing an MMO addict (Final Fantasy XI) I will be here not often. If you see me you are lucky. True geeks know what it is to be the friend who listens. Sensitive, intelligent, beautiful girls come to us for meaningful talk and profound empathy, then go back to their idiot boyfriends for wild, monkey sex. We need to talk less and workout more, fellas. -Joe Dodson

06-22-2005, 10:55 PM	#2
AtomiKnight Troopa Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Vanishing Point Posts: 44	Just read the whole trilogy of five parts that is Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. You'll be begging to read Nuklear Age after, and hopefully you're a slothful reader and won't finish all 1500+ pages of all that before Atomik Age comes out, and then you can read that too.